Car Standing-Battery Dying-Kill Switch

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Shoppinit
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Re: Car Standing-Battery Dying-Kill Switch

Post by Shoppinit » Sat Feb 20, 2021 2:09 pm

I'd be uncomfortable extending the battery cable. It's already uncomfortably long to reach the boot.

Have you had a look at the plenum? Maybe there's scope to put the switch before/after the 250A fuse.
Daytona RS6 C5 Avant. Viper'd, Billies, Waggers, MTM box brain, C6 stoppers, xcarlink, R8 coolant cap (woohoo)
///M3 E46 | XC90 (V8, natch) | Passat GTE | RR Classic V8 flapper
"The major difference between a thing that might go wrong and a thing that cannot possibly go wrong is that when a thing that cannot possibly go wrong goes wrong it usually turns out to be impossible to get at and repair."

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IchBautAuto
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Re: Car Standing-Battery Dying-Kill Switch

Post by IchBautAuto » Sun Feb 21, 2021 1:01 am

I really haven't thought this through but the requirement to both lock the car and isolate the battery seems to provide a convenience conflict if you can't isolate the battery once the car is locked. On first thought it would seem best if the car could be locked and then the battery isolated. Sure, there is a manual lock in the boot lid and the drivers door where you can get in to the battery if all fails but it does become the sort of chore where you might postpone it through inconvenience. That said, extending the earth cable seems feasible enough to make the isolation a practical function.
C5 RS6, Milltek and Wagners: B5 RS4 450 + HP: A4 1.8 GP TQS original: 1963 UNIMOG 404:

Gregstv
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Re: Car Standing-Battery Dying-Kill Switch

Post by Gregstv » Sun Feb 21, 2021 3:01 am

When I disconnect the battery when needed for working on the car it puts a fault code on some modules. Not sure if this is anything to worry about if you decide to disconnect the battery every time you lock it away.

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Shoppinit
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Re: Car Standing-Battery Dying-Kill Switch

Post by Shoppinit » Sun Feb 21, 2021 10:06 am

Yeah. The car doesn’t like having the battery disconnected. At the very least you’ll have to put your radio code in and reprogram the one touch window feature every time. Other codes will be logged as intermittent and you shouldn’t get any MIL.

Possibly the trim values will be forgotten and you might have suboptimal mixture for a few miles until it corrects itself.
Daytona RS6 C5 Avant. Viper'd, Billies, Waggers, MTM box brain, C6 stoppers, xcarlink, R8 coolant cap (woohoo)
///M3 E46 | XC90 (V8, natch) | Passat GTE | RR Classic V8 flapper
"The major difference between a thing that might go wrong and a thing that cannot possibly go wrong is that when a thing that cannot possibly go wrong goes wrong it usually turns out to be impossible to get at and repair."

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Re: Car Standing-Battery Dying-Kill Switch

Post by Mɐʇʇ » Sun Feb 21, 2021 10:07 am

On touch window feature?
"not a professional engineer, mechanic and mechanist"

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Shoppinit
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Re: Car Standing-Battery Dying-Kill Switch

Post by Shoppinit » Sun Feb 21, 2021 10:14 am

Yeah. Where the window opens or closes all the way with a little blip of the button.
Daytona RS6 C5 Avant. Viper'd, Billies, Waggers, MTM box brain, C6 stoppers, xcarlink, R8 coolant cap (woohoo)
///M3 E46 | XC90 (V8, natch) | Passat GTE | RR Classic V8 flapper
"The major difference between a thing that might go wrong and a thing that cannot possibly go wrong is that when a thing that cannot possibly go wrong goes wrong it usually turns out to be impossible to get at and repair."

Mɐʇʇ
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Re: Car Standing-Battery Dying-Kill Switch

Post by Mɐʇʇ » Sun Feb 21, 2021 10:29 am

Ooo. How does one program that?
"not a professional engineer, mechanic and mechanist"

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Shoppinit
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Re: Car Standing-Battery Dying-Kill Switch

Post by Shoppinit » Sun Feb 21, 2021 10:49 am

Close window and continue to hold the button in the up position for 10 seconds. Then open window with button and keep holding it in the down position for 10s. Do this for each window. I usually do them 2 at a time. Fronts, then rears.
Daytona RS6 C5 Avant. Viper'd, Billies, Waggers, MTM box brain, C6 stoppers, xcarlink, R8 coolant cap (woohoo)
///M3 E46 | XC90 (V8, natch) | Passat GTE | RR Classic V8 flapper
"The major difference between a thing that might go wrong and a thing that cannot possibly go wrong is that when a thing that cannot possibly go wrong goes wrong it usually turns out to be impossible to get at and repair."

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IchBautAuto
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Re: Car Standing-Battery Dying-Kill Switch

Post by IchBautAuto » Mon Feb 22, 2021 4:32 am

Shoppinit wrote:
Sun Feb 21, 2021 10:06 am
Yeah. The car doesn’t like having the battery disconnected. At the very least you’ll have to put your radio code in and reprogram the one touch window feature every time. Other codes will be logged as intermittent and you shouldn’t get any MIL.

Possibly the trim values will be forgotten and you might have suboptimal mixture for a few miles until it corrects itself.
Clearly the optimal solution. Mine is garaged so a maintenance charger is no issue and I might give it a boost monthly if not in frequent use, but not that feasible in a public area. Disconnecting the battery is your only "maintenance free" option if you aren't going to drive it or charge it and that could be weekly if you have a current drain.
C5 RS6, Milltek and Wagners: B5 RS4 450 + HP: A4 1.8 GP TQS original: 1963 UNIMOG 404:

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iaingbrown
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Re: Car Standing-Battery Dying-Kill Switch

Post by iaingbrown » Wed Feb 24, 2021 1:00 am

I use one of these.https://www.amazon.co.uk/ZHITING-Batter ... 7541&psc=1
No problems with it. Hit the lock button on your key-fob with the boot open, unhook the battery then shut he boot. Open with the key and hook up the battery. Using this for over a year.

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Re: Car Standing-Battery Dying-Kill Switch

Post by HPsauce » Wed Feb 24, 2021 10:48 am

Personally I'd prefer the "Halfords" (other suppliers are available) style as the screw-down mechanism gives a very secure electrical circuit.
I wouldn't trust a "blade-in-slot" design to give a good circuit long term as the jaws could flex apart over time.
But your locking sequence sounds like it's very useful advice whatever solution people go for. :thumbs:

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Shoppinit
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Re: Car Standing-Battery Dying-Kill Switch

Post by Shoppinit » Wed Feb 24, 2021 11:07 am

Yeah, I would get this one: No messing with cutting (very thick) cables, and the blade and slot type also makes me slightly uncomfortable for the reasons you said.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Discarnect-C ... 3463209124

//in fact I've just ordered one for the Rangey. Saves me physcially disconnecting the battery every time.
Daytona RS6 C5 Avant. Viper'd, Billies, Waggers, MTM box brain, C6 stoppers, xcarlink, R8 coolant cap (woohoo)
///M3 E46 | XC90 (V8, natch) | Passat GTE | RR Classic V8 flapper
"The major difference between a thing that might go wrong and a thing that cannot possibly go wrong is that when a thing that cannot possibly go wrong goes wrong it usually turns out to be impossible to get at and repair."

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Shoppinit
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Re: Car Standing-Battery Dying-Kill Switch

Post by Shoppinit » Wed Feb 24, 2021 11:16 am

Bought 2. One for the tractor,too :)

/Although I bought this one because I don't need the fuse:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/123463203826
Daytona RS6 C5 Avant. Viper'd, Billies, Waggers, MTM box brain, C6 stoppers, xcarlink, R8 coolant cap (woohoo)
///M3 E46 | XC90 (V8, natch) | Passat GTE | RR Classic V8 flapper
"The major difference between a thing that might go wrong and a thing that cannot possibly go wrong is that when a thing that cannot possibly go wrong goes wrong it usually turns out to be impossible to get at and repair."

Mɐʇʇ
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Re: Car Standing-Battery Dying-Kill Switch

Post by Mɐʇʇ » Wed Feb 24, 2021 11:41 am

I think that's what I would use in the RS if this was a requirement.
"not a professional engineer, mechanic and mechanist"

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anditsoundslikebells
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Re: Car Standing-Battery Dying-Kill Switch

Post by anditsoundslikebells » Wed Feb 24, 2021 8:37 pm

For now, I'll keep a 10mm spanner in the tool well. As said above, I lock the car with the fob, open the boot with the key, disconnect the battery with the spanner, lock the boot.
Having an easily accessible kill switch would be easier but this isn't too much of a headache. Fitting the switch does sound like a headache.
I won't be in this flat forever so hopefully one day I get a garage with all the ease that comes with that.
Maybe I'll buy the dis-connect switch as it is a good solution, but for now, I'll see how I get on with the spanner.
Seems I went full circle and ended up where I started.
RS6 C5 Avant 2002 Daytona Grey
TTH 620 - Wagner IC - OC.T 200cell&downpipes - DW400 pump - 034 TCU chip - FIS - B16 PSS9 - 034 control arms - H&R ARB - OZ Superturismo

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